The Braves added left-hander Kyle Muller to their 40-man roster Thursday evening. He was eligible for the Rule 5 draft next month.
Muller, 23, is the organization’s best pitching prospect yet to debut in the majors. It’s possible, if not likely, he works his way into the bigs next season. Muller’s place on the 40-man roster only helps those odds.
Before spending the shortened season at the alternate training site in Gwinnett, Muller appeared in only two spring training games with the big-league team. He was erratic: Muller walked three, struck out three, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch while recording three outs. Still, it was easy to see Muller’s immense potential.
The Texas native is a physically imposing figure on the mound (he’s listed at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds) and throws in the mid-to-upper 90s. He struck out 120 hitters, walked 68 and held opponents to a .208 average in 111-2/3 innings in Double-A during the 2019 season. Muller almost certainly will open next season at Triple-A.
Minor leaguers eligible for the Rule 5 draft must be added to their teams’ rosters ahead of the Nov. 20 deadline. The Braves’ 40-man roster stands at 37.
